By Tom Frary
While Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) is away, Enbihaar (Ire) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}) has been allowed to play stayer and she ably demonstrated her aptitude for the division when taking York's G2 Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup on Friday. In the past two years Before Covid, this was the race that saw her exalted stablemate wrap up the £1million bonus but with that pot unavailable this time and Clarehaven's golden boy set on a different path it was up to Shadwell's imposing mare to help fill a void. Long regarded by man-of-the-moment Jim Crowley as made for this type of test, the 15-8 favourite who already boasted four wins at this level tracked the leading trio throughout the early stages travelling comfortably. Committed on the front end two out as the G1 Gold Cup and G1 Goodwood Cup runner-up Nayef Road (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) fought hard in customary fashion, she stayed on adequately to score by 3/4 of a length from Stratum (GB) (Dansili {GB}), with the same margin back to Nayef Road in third. “I was always confident she would stay and we got racing a long way out. It was a war up the straight,” the winning rider commented. “Lots of credit to her. She really toughed it out–she is a super mare.”
Very few mares can boast successes in this, two editions of Goodwood's G2 Lillie Langtry S., a G2 Park Hill S. and a G2 Lancashire Oaks, but Enbihaar is something above average and her journey is yet to culminate. Thady Gosden was on hand to pay tribute and said, “We always thought she'd stay two miles, as she has that lovely long stride on her. She's a big filly with a deep chest so there was everything to suggest she'd get it all day long. The [G1] Qatar Prix de Royallieu, in which she was third to Anapurna last year on Arc day–that's the aim. She'd stayed in training this season with the aim of winning a group one and that will be her best chance, against fillies. She handled the ground, but it's more dead than soft, obviously the ground would be the worry come October, and we'll just have to hope it isn't too deep. She's hard as nails, she's definitely maintained her ability and beaten some good stayers there.”
Enbihaar is a half-sister to Godolphin's G2 International Topkapi Trophy runner-up Silent Attack (GB) (Dream Ahead) and to the listed-placed King Bolete (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}). They are out of Chanterelle (Fr) (Trempolino), a full-sister to the G3 Prix du Calvados scorer Cox Orange who in turn produced the Listed Masaka S. winner and G1 1000 Guineas third Vista Bella (GB) (Diktat {GB}). Her dam is the G2 Prix Maurice de Gheest winner Spectacular Joke (Spectacular Bid), whose leading performer was the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac heroine Amonita (Anabaa). Chanterelle also has a yearling filly by Muhaarar (GB).
Friday, York, Britain
WEATHERBYS HAMILTON LONSDALE CUP S.-G2, £100,000, York, 8-21, 3yo/up, 16f 56yT, 3:33.57, gd.
1–ENBIHAAR (IRE), 126, m, 5, by Redoute's Choice (Aus)
1st Dam: Chanterelle (Fr), by Trempolino
2nd Dam: Spectacular Joke, by Spectacular Bid
3rd Dam: No Joke, by Shecky Greene
(€500,000 Ylg '16 ARAUG). O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum; B-Haras du Mezeray (IRE); T-John Gosden; J-Jim Crowley. £56,710. Lifetime Record: Hwt. Older Mare-Eur at 14f+ & G1SP-Fr, 12-7-1-2, $636,973. *1/2 to Silent Attack (GB) (Dream Ahead), GSP-Tur, $204,790; and King Bolete (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}), SP-Eng. Werk Nick Rating: F. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Stratum (GB), 129, g, 7, Dansili (GB)–Lunar Phase (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). (160,000gns 3yo '16 TATAHI). O-Anthony Bloom; B-Al Asayl Bloodstock Ltd (GB); T-Willie Mullins. £21,500.
3–Nayef Road (Ire), 129, c, 4, Galileo (Ire)–Rose Bonheur (GB), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). (100,000gns Ylg '17 TATOCT). O-Mohamed Obaida; B-B V Sangster (IRE); T-Mark Johnston. £10,760.
Margins: 3/4, 3/4, 1. Odds: 1.88, 20.00, 3.50.
Also Ran: Dashing Willoughby (GB), Eagles By Day (Ire), Withhold (GB), Who Dares Wins (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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